Kryptonite
by Fightergirl-Hyuuga
Summary: Everybody always saw Cloud as Superman, untouchable. They fussed, yes, but only to make sure he was alright. But every superman has his kryptonite, and Cloud found his in the strangest of places. Love. Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

**A/n:** Hey. I haven't wrote many stories lately, busy with exams and stuff. This is my first attempt at a Kingdom Hearts fic, and it will have a few chapters to it. It's also my first attempt at writing a gay couple, but I just love these guys so much I had to give it a try. Enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **Unfortunately, I don't own Kingdom Hearts. If I did, Cloud and Leon would have ravished each other all ready.

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"I hate you Cloud Strife!"

The door was slammed in his face, narrowly avoiding smacking him in the nose. The blond haired warrior sighed, dragging his feet as he made his way back into his apartment. Glancing over at the table, he noticed the remnants of the meal he had shared with Tifa, his lifelong friend. Evidently, that friendship wasn't enough for her, if her earlier show was anything to go by.

They had just been sat, Tifa prattling on about something unimportant, Cloud trying to listen (really, he was, but he just couldn't see why the shop not selling low fat chocolate was so bad. He didn't even know such a thing existed) when Tifa had got up, circled around the table and ran a finger up Cloud's chest. Twisting her arms around his neck, she leaned in for a kiss, but as she got close, Cloud turned his head. This apparently, had been the wrong thing to do. Tifa exploded, pushed him off his chair (which hurt by the way) and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door in a very shocked Cloud Strife's face.

It wasn't that he didn't like Tifa. He just didn't want a relationship with her. He didn't love her in that way, and he didn't ever recall doing anything that could make her think different. Heck, he didn't love anyone in that way. He loved his friends, yes, but as nothing more than that. And he had never shown them any reason to think otherwise. He rarely ever showed any emotion towards his friends. It wasn't that he didn't care. It was that he cared too much, and didn't want the people who he loved so much to be torn away from him. Tifa, Aerith, Yuffie, Cid. Even Leon.

Leon…That wasn't his name, it was Squall, Squall Leonhart. Cloud didn't know much about the reasons why, but he didn't want to be called this anymore. Something that had happened in his past. He'd adopted the first part of his surname, but his friends thought it silly. Cloud wasn't a fan of the name, Leon. The man was one of the strongest he had ever met, and believed he should be proud with that, not trying to merge into the shadows. Cloud had a lot of respect for the man, they had fought together on many occasions, but refused to call him by a false name. He met _Leon _halfway though, choosing to call him Leonhart. Never Squall, as the man himself hated the name, never Leon, as Cloud hated the name.

Leonhart was a strange one though. Cloud never professed to know him that well, but he was an enigma to his close friends too. Sort of like Cloud himself. The two were so similar, but never spoke much, only in combat as they stood back to back, discussing their best options. Even these conversations were short, limited words spoken between the two. But even though this was the case, Cloud had come to care for the man as one of his closest friends. And he knew that Leonhart was the same way inclined. The healthy respect they had for each other had turned into a friendship, something that neither man had ever wanted to happen. It just did. Their lives never changed, they just found it a little more comfortable in the presence of their other friends, knowing that neither one was truly comfortable with the attention that they were given.

Cloud had decided a long time ago that his friends fussed too much. He knew they cared greatly, that they only wanted to help him in his quest to defeat his darkness. Which, to his great dismay, had manifested into another person, Sephiroth, who just never died when he was killed. Cloud had beaten Sephiroth a while ago, he hadn't found his light, but he was strong enough to overpower him for good. But still his friends fussed. He wondered if it was to do with the fact that he hadn't found his light, that Sephiroth may actually come back, but Cloud knew in his own heart, lightless as it was, that Sephiroth was gone for good.

He had no idea where his light was. He knew that his light was a person. Aerith had told him long ago that to find light would mean that he found true love, so once Sephiroth was gone and he no longer had to worry about him hurting anybody, he started dating. He had met many women, going out to dinner with them, having a few drinks, but none of them made him feel anything. Not even Aerith when they had a brief fling, parting with mutual consent. He couldn't find the right person for him. And as he sat alone in his apartment, he wondered if it was pointless to even try. He was beginning to lose hope.

* * *

"What happened with Tifa last night?" Aerith asked gently. Cloud had made his way over to Merlin's house at around 7 am, for his breakfast (compliment of Aerith, she really was one of the best cooks in the whole of Radiant Garden) his usual morning routine. All the members of the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee still met up there in the mornings, even though work had almost finished and the town had regained its former name. They shared little bits of gossip (well the girls did), and were updated on the towns situation. They then all headed their separate ways, meeting up again for their evening meal, before disappearing off to their own houses.

Cloud sighed as Aerith handed him his plate full of pancakes. He should have known that he would get the Spanish inquisition when he arrived. Aerith was lovely, but if anything was ever wrong, she wouldn't let it go. She cared so much about her friends that it sometimes got a little annoying, but he would never say anything. He knew that she just meant well.

"We were just having dinner when she tried kissing me. I turned away. She stormed out. Knocked me off my chair in the process," he sighed. Aerith shook her head lightly.

"That wasn't very nice Cloud. You've hurt her feelings."

"Whatever."

"Stealing Leon's lines now?" she giggled lightly, trying to alleviate some of the tension in the room.

"I'm not stealing anything of Leonhart," he grumbled, eating his pancakes as a sign that the conversation was over.

"Cloud. Apologise to Tifa. What you did last night wasn't very nice at all. You could have handled it better, instead of turning away like that. Think about her feelings," she chided.

"Since when has he ever though about anyone's feelings?" a deep voice asked from the corridor. Cloud turned to glare at the brunette, but with his mouth full of pancakes, he looked like a chubby child having a tantrum. Leon burst out laughing, a genuine sound that shocked the others. It had been a while since Leon had truly laughed, and his friends felt that he should do it more often.

Cloud found himself extremely offended for no reason what so ever, the anger rising in him as he watched the older man laughing. He swallowed his final mouthful of food, and then sneered at Leon.

"Watch what you say Leonhart. People might start thinking that _you _care."

"Ah, but at least I don't piss off the friends who have been with me through thick and thin."

Cloud stood up, flipping his thankfully empty plate of pancakes in his frustration. He headed towards the back door, stopping inches away from Leon as he growled into his face.

"And what the fuck do you know about me _Leon_? What the fuck gives you the right?" He leaned closer to the taller male, glaring straight into his eyes before striding out of the back door, slamming it behind him.

Leon stood still, his internal shock masked completely on the outside, but on the inside, his mind screamed at him.

_What the fuck, Cloud?_

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**A/n: **Well that't the first chapter for you. I'm in a real writing mood so it shouldn't be long until the next chapter is up. R&R. Reviews fuel my passion for writing

x


	2. Chapter 2

**A/n: **Hello again. Next chapter is now up!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I really wish I did, but I don't...

* * *

"What the hell was I doing? Why did I get so…angry?"

"Who you talkin' to?" a voice asked, extremely close to the blonde's ear. He knew that voice. Turning around, he found a hyperactive ninja just inches from his face, smiling brightly.

"No one. Go away Yuffie," Cloud sighed.

"Don't let Squally get you down. He's just…you know…Squally! He doesn't mean it. He never does," she said loudly. Cloud raised a hand and ruffled her hair slightly.

"Just…don't tell anyone I'm here," he mumbled, forcing a smile onto his face. Yuffie, bless her, looked extremely worried for the warrior. He looked a little forlorn, and Yuffie wanted to hug him. Which she did, catching Cloud off guard, sending them both sprawling.

"Yuffie! What the hell?" Cloud glared.

"Don't go all moody on me mister," she giggled. "You look so sad, and my Cloudy-kins shouldn't be sad. Not since you beat Sephiroth. There's nothing to be sad about!"

Cloud wished she was right. He should be happy now that the bane of his existence was gone, but he couldn't be. He hadn't found his light, and he didn't think he ever would. He was getting snappier with his friends, even going so far as to threaten Leon for what he knew was just their normal banter. But Leon was pissing him off lately. And he had no idea why.

The two of them started every morning the same way. One would make a comment, the other would reply with a similarly biting comment, both men knowing that it was just friendly banter. But this morning, he had felt disappointed when Leon had said that. He knew that the other man had not meant anything by his comment, but it had truly hurt him. Maybe Leon was right. Maybe he didn't care about his friends. Maybe he should just crawl into a hole and disappear.

"Sorry Yuffie. But really, just leave me alone."

"Alright Cloud. You sure you're gonna be alright?" she asked anxiously. She normally wouldn't be so worried, Cloud always wanted to be alone, but something about him seemed different. Like he was thinking about something. Maybe he believed what Leon had said. She gave it another try. "Squally really…"

"Shut up!" he snapped. "I don't care if _Squally _meant it or not. Just piss off!" At this, Yuffie did "piss off", tears in her eyes. Cloud glanced over his shoulder, feeling a little bad. He didn't mean to snap, but he didn't want to hear anymore about Squall. Bringing his knees into his chest and resting his head upon them, his eyes glazed over as he thought about everything.

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The door to Merlin's house swung open, startling the brunette a little, though he didn't show it. In ran Yuffie, tears streaming down her face. This wasn't normal. Usually Yuffie was too happy, but now she looked distraught. Taking a quick look around and checking that nobody else was in the house, he followed her.

"Yuffie?" he called softly, knocking on her door and entering. "Yuffie what happened?"

She let out a broken sob, pulling at Leon's heartstrings. She flung herself at him, burying her head in his shoulder. When she spoke it was muffled.

"Cloud. I went to see if he was alright, coz, well you know…but then he just snapped at me for no reason. Twice," she sobbed.

"What did he say?" Leon almost growled.

"He just told me to shut up and to piss off, but he was really mean. I only wanted to make sure he was alright," Leon patted her on the back, and then sat her back down on the bed.

"Where is he?"

"I told him I wouldn't tell," she whispered. Leon looked at her, questioning her sanity. "But…Alright. He's at the Dark Depths, just sat there. He probably won't have moved," she sniffed.

"Thanks Yuffie. I'll sort him out," he said menacingly. He wrenched the front door open, grabbing his gunblade as he walked away, Cloud the only feature of his thoughts. The bastard had gone way too far. He could snap at him all he wanted to, but to upset Yuffie so much, Leon would never admit it but he felt an overwhelming urge to protect the young girl. To make her cry so hard, it was unthinkable. The spiky haired bitch wouldn't get away with it.

Storming through the streets, he scared the townspeople already filtering into the streets, the harshness of his glare making them flinch back in surprise. They knew that Leon was a force to be reckoned with, but had never seen him in such a mood. He was usually quite stoic, replying with only a hello of his own when greeted, but this morning, no one greeted him. They could see rage in his eyes, and the gunblade held tightly in his right hand made the townspeople think that he was a man on a mission, and that anyone getting in the way would be cleared out of his path.

_Cloud Strife…Cloud Strife…Strife…_

"Strife!" he shouted on arrival at the Dark Depths. Said spiky haired man didn't move, didn't acknowledge that his name had been called. Leon dropped the hand holding his gunblade, the tip touching the floor and dragging as he moved forward. He knew that the blonde warrior had heard him, and knew that he would react to a weapon being drawn against him. "Strife!" he called again to no avail, the blonde man just sat, leaning against a rock wall. Leon was getting angrier by the second. Cloud was completely ignoring his existence. Well…not for much longer.

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Cloud had heard Leon call out to him, and had looked to him without moving. His eyes followed his movements as he stalked forward with his gunblade dragging along the floor. He knew it was a provocative move, but he didn't care. Leon could do whatever he wanted to him, he knew he deserved it. He closed his eyes again, just hearing Leon's footsteps get closer.

"Strife!" he heard him shout again. He ignored him again, even when the gunblade was raised once more. It fell inches from him, next to his left arm and was imbedded in the rock. He slowly opened his eyes to glance at it, then looked up to see Leon standing above him, glaring down at him.

"…What?" he asked slowly, his question only just audible. Leon scoffed, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and pulling him up. His back grazed against the harsh rock wall, but he didn't care. The small pain was a relief to him.

"What? Fucking what? What do you think Strife?" He pushed Cloud further into the wall, watching Cloud's lack of reaction. "Be a bastard with me all you want, but the others. Maybe what I said this morning was right."

"Yeah. Maybe it was," came the reply. Cloud lowered his head, hiding his lifeless eyes from Leon.

"Strife? Cloud?" he called softly. Cloud didn't look up. "Fucking look at me!" he shouted, grabbing Cloud's chin and forcibly raising his head. Cloud's eyes were no longer blank, confusion flashed through them as he stared at Leon, who had stepped closer to him. Their bodies were almost touching, each could feel the heat radiating from the other.

Leon's eyes held the same confusion and shock, shock at his own actions. This was the second time in the day that the two had been so close face to face, the second time in the whole of their friendship. They always stood close, back to back, but this was different. Leon could feel it. Something was tearing at his insides, making him feel something that he had not for a long time.

Leon's hand dropped from Cloud's face, but he did not move back straight away. Something inside him wanted to make him reach out and touch the blonde man again, to feel his soft skin under his gloved hands. His hands began to raise again, but he caught himself in time, reaching for his gunblade at the side of Cloud's body. Pulling it out of the earth in one swift movement, he turned around, heading back towards the town without glancing back.

When Leon had gotten far enough away, Cloud released the breath that he had subconsciously been holding in. Three words rattled around in his mind, the only three that mattered to him.

_What the hell?_

**A/n: **Woo! It's starting! I think I made Cloud a little (well a lot probably) OOC here, but I needed to give Leon a reason to be angry at him. I dunno. Your thoughts on this matter are welcome, as well as any other thoughts, so R&R. Reviews make me happy XD

x x x

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	3. Chapter 3

**A/n:** Woo! Me again. Already? you're asking. Well I had to write this chapter up. My brain wouldn't let me sleep until I did.

**Disclaimer: **I really don't own Kingdom Hearts! And I really wish I did! Cloud and Leon really need to be together! And I really need to stop saying really!

* * *

That hadn't been what he'd expected. When Leon had gone to confront Cloud, he wasn't expecting…well that. The sudden rush of emotions as he had been face to face with Cloud was overwhelming. It was a new feeling to him, stronger than anything he had ever felt before. He had felt something similar once before, but that was long gone. At the time, he had thought that nothing could compare, but he was wrong. In that short moment in time, Cloud had been everywhere, and Leon couldn't help but notice him properly for the first time. And his blue eyes, ethereal in their nature. They haunted him, would not leave his mind.

It had been four hours since the incident in the Dark Depths, and although it was only a short moment in time really, to Leon, those few seconds in which they had looked at each other, truly looked for the first time, felt like an eternity. Those eyes, so guarded usually, in that second had opened up to him slightly, showing him a multitude of emotions that he had never expected. And they drew him in, and four hours on, those eyes still would not relinquish their hold on him.

He had made his way into the castle, locking himself away in the huge library. He had already read most of the books in there, but he found it peaceful to just relax into a book. He could get away from it all for a couple of hours, alone with just a good book for company. He never complained, he loved working on the restoration, but sometimes he just needed a little alone time. In his own house he was always in danger of someone bursting in on him, but here he felt like he could truly be alone, truly relax. And he loved it.

The book he was reading was quite informative, all about the human body. He wasn't sure why this was the book he chose, but he enjoyed reading it all the same. At one point though, the diagram of a human eye morphed, changing into Cloud's mysterious ones. At this, he had to shut the book, slamming it down with a sharp sigh. So much for reading taking his mind off the matter.

He wandered through the castle, taking the long route to the exit, not wanting to have to face the others just yet. He still had no idea of what was going on himself, and Aerith's questioning would not help him at all. He just needed to sort out his thoughts, to sort the whole matter out, but the only way to do that was to meet with Cloud again, and he didn't think that he could handle that without making things between the two men even more confusing. He pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking deeply.

Just what was so special about Cloud Strife?

* * *

Cloud was still sat in the Dark Depths, having not moved since he had slouched back down the wall as Leon left. His eyes were once more lifeless, but Cloud's mind was working in overdrive. He had just been face to face with Leon for the first time, and he couldn't get it out of his mind. Those eyes, they had pierced his soul, seen things that he had never allowed anyone to see.

He had no idea how long it had been since Leon had left, since he had released that breath that had meant so much. He knew nothing of what Leon had done to him, but he knew that he didn't like it. He could still feel the other man, as if he was still stood close to him. He could still feel the heat that had radiated from his body. He could still see those eyes, the eyes that had looked deep within him, deeper than either man had ever wanted.

He could still feel the hand on his chin, the touch had burned him. Cloud felt as if it had left a visible mark, like he had really been burned by something hot. He could still feel it, and he hated it. He wanted to be rid of that feeling. For the first time in his existence, at that touch, he felt his strength slip away from him. Squall Leonhart had made him feel weak.

* * *

Aerith had managed to calm Yuffie down, and was wondering what was taking Leon so long. She knew that he had gone to speak to Cloud, but didn't think it would take this long. She knew Cloud was stubborn, but even he was not this bad. She hoped that Leon had gotten through to him. She knew that he would be the only one that could.

She could see it. She had seen it a long time ago. The way they interacted was that of more than just friens. The two of them understood each other too well for that to be the case. They had such a strong bond, and she could see that the bond was becoming stronger. She was shocked by Cloud this morning, but she knew his reasons. She could see, just as Leon had made the comment, the flicker of agony behind Cloud's eyes. She could see that Cloud was truly upset that Leon thought that lowly of him, and she knew the reasons. Even if they didn't. It was only a matter of time anyway, she mused. Maybe this is what they need, a chance to meet each other face to face. To really see the other person.

She smiled to herself, and hearing Merlin's door open, she went to see who had come back. Leon had entered, the stoic mask that he usually wore had slipped ever so slightly. Aerith could almost see the emotions in his eyes.

"Leon…" she started.

"Don't." Leon headed straight past her, without even a glance in her direction. She heard him walk down the corridor, towards his room (Leon was one of the few that had remained at Merlin's house, choosing to allow the others to have their own houses) and heard the door slam shut a little more forcibly than usual.

Yes, she thought. It really was only a matter of time.

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**A/n:** Well there is chapter 3 for you. Aerith is a very lovely soul, she really is XD. a shorter one this time round, but it is sort of a filler chapter anyway. I couldn't skip right to the next bit, so I needed this. Well R&R, makes me write faster. XD

x x x


	4. Chapter 4

**A/n: **I'm back. Again! I can't stop writing at the moment. I'm too in love with this story. I probably have better things to do with my time, like work, but this story really is taking up all of my time. Besides, if I have the ideas now, why wait? I don't want to lose them!

**Disclaimer: **As I have now said quite a few time, I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I do in my dreams, but that's as far as it goes XD

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Aerith sighed. Maybe she was wrong. It had been three weeks to the day since Leon had walked back through that front door, confusion on his face (well sort of). Since then, the he and Cloud hadn't spoken a word to each other. They hadn't even looked at each other. Actually, that was a lie, she thought. They had communicated once, and only briefly. That one came about due to Tifa, who inconsequentially, had forgiven Cloud, and apologised herself.

It had been about a week ago, and the group had come back for their evening meal, courtesy of Aerith (as usual). Cloud and Leon had sat as far away from each other as possible. Tifa had sat next to Cloud, and was trying to get him to talk. It wasn't going to well. Anyway, Cloud had the ketchup in front of him, and Leon, rather than ask Cloud himself, had asked Tifa to ask Cloud for it. At this, Tifa exploded.

"I'm not your messenger. Ask him yourself! This is pathetic! I don't care what's happened but you two can just stop acting like bloody children! I'm not doing anymore pointless things because the two of you are so bloody stubborn!"

At this, both men mumbled a quiet apology. Leon asked Cloud for the ketchup, without looking at him at all, a Cloud passed it wordlessly. And that was it. It was the last time that the two had spoken to each other.

They had even changed their routines to purposely avoid each other. Leon now woke up at some ungodly hour, making his breakfast, getting ready and leaving a note outlining what everybody needed to do before any of the others had even thought about clambering out of bed. He would separate Cloud off, so that he was working in a completely different area of the town. The only time they ever had to see each other was during the evening meal, and at one point, Leon had even tried avoiding that. Aerith had laid down the law, waving her spatula wildly at him as she told him that he had to eat with the rest of the group. He hadn't tried to skip out again.

Aerith was getting worried. If the two of them never spoke, how were they ever going to realise what they could have? Thinking hard, she finally came up with a master plan to get the two to acknowledge each other again. She would just have to make sure that the others knew what was going on.

It was time to invite the keyblade master and his friends back to Radiant Garden.

* * *

"Leon!" a loud voice called. "This place looks good!"

Leon turned to see Sora waving madly at him. How could he shout so loud? He was all the way across the huge courtyard! Well he wasn't anymore, he was running towards him, limbs flailing everywhere. He came to a halt just in front of him, smiling up at the older brunette broadly.

"Hey kid. I didn't know you were coming," he greeted.

"No. It was sort of a surprise. Me and Riku decided to come visit. Kairi was gonna come too but she didn't feel too well so we didn't want her getting worse."

"Oh. Riku's here too? Where is he then?" Leon asked. The two were usually inseparable.

"I came to find you. He…uh…was tired so went straight over to Merlin's." It wasn't a downright lie, Sora reasoned with himself. Riku had gone to Merlin's house, they both had, but they had left again straight away. "Anyway, come on, I told him I wouldn't be long, so he's probably getting worried. Come on! You can work later!" he pulled Leon along by the sleeve of his jacket, only just managing to get him to budge. Leon sighed and started walking back with him of his own accord. A small break couldn't hurt could it?

How wrong he was.

* * *

The door was slammed harshly in his face, and he heard the lock click. Bloody Sora. What the hell was he pulling.

"Open this door!" he banged loudly on it. All he heard from behind the door was a couple of giggles, and footsteps heading away from the door. Great. He banged on the door even louder. "Sora! Riku! Open this door now!"

"It's not gonna work you know," a soft voice startled him. He turned around and saw Cloud leaning against the wall next to the window. He nodded towards it. "I tried this earlier too, but they've locked that, and I really don't think Merlin would be very happy if we smashed his windows."

Cloud pulled himself away from the wall, and sat down on the bed. Leon noticed this, and subconsciously gulped. Cloud gave him a strange look, he had obviously noticed this. What with his mako enhanced senses, he noticed everything. When Leon looked back at Cloud, their eyes met, and the strange feeling from three weeks ago returned. Swallowing, as if he could push the feeling back down, he went to sit at the other end of the bed. He knew they wouldn't be released anytime soon, and he wasn't going to spend all his time on his feet.

The two men sat in an awkward silence for what seemed like an age, both at a loss for what to say. Cloud broke the silence again first.

"I think Aerith was the mastermind of all this. I heard her the other day talking on the phone to somebody, but she wouldn't tell me who. I'm guessing now though that it was those two." He shifted his body to look at Leon properly. Leon could feel his eyes on him, staring at his face. He wouldn't look. He couldn't. Whenever he looked, he had the urge to do more. To reach out and touch. And here, trapped together in this bedroom, sat just a foot away from each other, that urge was threatening to overcome him. He turned his body around, so that he couldn't see Cloud at all. He was too distracting, and he still hadn't figured things out.

"Squall?" the soft questioning voice made him forget what he had just planned. He had to turn around at it. And when he did, he found Cloud's face inches away from his own. He gulped again as he felt Cloud's breath wash over his face, filling his senses with the beautiful scent.

"W…What are you doing?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He didn't get the reply he wanted.

"I…I don't know…" came the reply, just as soft and quiet as his own question had been. He knew what was happening before it happened, and he though he had no idea why, he didn't fight it. As Cloud's lips pressed softly against his own, his heart swelled. The decision had been made for him. He truly had no choice in the matter. He could no longer ignore.

Neither of them could ignore it any longer.

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**A/n: **There you go. The end of chapter 4. I had to bring Sora and Riku into this story somewhere, and what a better oppurtunity. They would suspect Yuffie of something like this, so those two were brilliant in helping me along. And helping Cloud and Leon along. And now comes the good stuff! Woo! R&R. I makes me happy knowing that all this writing is appreciated. Constructive criticism welcome, but please no flames.

x x x


	5. Chapter 5

**A/n: Hello! Sorry for taking so long to update, but you have no idea how hard it was to get inspiration for this chapter. It was difficult to get it right, but I hope I have done. Well, after such a long wait already, I think its time I say...Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or CLoud and Leon would definately be having more sexy fun**

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Neither of them could ignore it any longer. Leon slipped an arm around Cloud's waist, pulling his body closer until they touched, deepening the kiss with a lusty moan. He bit down hard on Cloud's lips, causing him to gasp and allowing him to thrust his tongue into the unknown depths of his mouth. The hand that was not wrapped around Cloud's waist tangled into spiky strands of blond hair, allowing him to taste more of the delicious man in his arms.

With a low growl, Cloud reciprocated, placing both hands on the older mans hips. Shifting their positions without breaking the kiss, Cloud leaned backwards, pulling Leon on top of him. As they pushed their fevered bodies together, Cloud rolled his hips upwards to meet Leon's, giving both men intense pleasure.

They broke their kiss somewhat reluctantly, both feeling the need for air, but Leon began trailing hot, wet kisses along Cloud's exposed collarbone, and feeling the younger man shiver with pleasure beneath him, he couldn't help but smirk against the soft skin as he pulled his shirt over his head. Cloud reached to pull Leon's over his head, but Leon caught his arms and held them above his head, once again kissing his way down his toned chest. He smirked once more as he captured one of Cloud's hardened nipples in his mouth, teasing it lightly with his tongue, rubbing the other with his fingers. Cloud moaned loudly, arching his back and grinding his hips against Leon's harder and faster.

Leon, thoroughly pleased with the reactions of the man trapped beneath him, once again began kissing a slow trail down Cloud's abdomen. He hooked a finger beneath the waistband of Cloud's tight pants, softly stroking the sensitive skin. He could feel Cloud writhing in pleasure beneath him, and nothing mattered more to him in that moment that removing the spiky haired god from the remainder of his clothing.

Too caught up in their pleasure, neither man noticed that two teens had entered that room, expressions of thorough shock blatant on their young faces. It was not until Sora began to splutter what his friend could only take as an apology that either man noticed them. They sat up hastily, Cloud swooping low to pick up his shirt, swiftly covering himself with it once again.

"I…We…Umm…Er…" Sora spluttered, looking away, blushing from obvious embarrassment. His silver haired friend however, had managed to regain his composure quite quickly. Riku grabbed Sora's arm and began pulling him out of the room.

"I think what Sora was trying to say was, umm, sorry. We'll just be off now," he said with a sort of forced calmness in his voice. He backed out of the room, pulling Sora along with him, and hastily shut the door behind him.

Leon could do nothing but stare at the now empty doorway. He was quite angry at the interruption, it had ruined the mood, the moment, and Leon knew that he would not be able to carry on now. After what seemed like an age to him, he turned to face Cloud, unsure of what to say.

"Well…" he started, but he cut himself off straight away, looking into Cloud's eyes. Cloud was looking at him, but there was nothing there. No emotion in his eyes at all. They both sat there, unmoving, just looking at each other. Cloud seemed to have no intention to ever move, to ever break the eye contact with Leon. But there was nothing there. It was just a blank stare, one that pulled at Leon's heart, shattering it. He felt hurt, more so than he had ever been. After all that, everything that they had just been doing, Cloud would not even show him what he was feeling. He could feel the anger and hurt swelling inside of him, he could feel his eyes beginning to fill, but he would not cry in front of this heartless man. He would not give him the satisfaction.

"Yeah. Thought so," he spat bitterly, raising himself from the bed, breaking eye contact with Cloud. He turned furiously, striding towards the door, wrenching it open and slamming it loudly behind him. All the while, the blank look did not leave Cloud's eyes, and as he heard Leon's footsteps grow fainter, he still did not move, afraid of letting the overwhelming emotions escape him.

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"I didn't ever think that…_that! _was what Aerith would want them to realise." Riku spoke softly, speaking the words that both he and his best friend were thinking. Sora was too shocked to speak, worried that if he opened his mouth, he would lose any chance that he had of keeping down his lunch. In reply to Riku, he just shook his head minutely, trying to rid his head of the images, the noises…_oh god no! _He did not want to remember that at all.

Riku began to make small talk, trying to distract his best friend's (and his own for that matter) wandering mind. After about five minutes of this, he gave up, knowing that it was a lost cause. He was going to murder Aerith when she got back. Why didn't she warn them? Had she thought that it was obvious? _Well, maybe it was for her, being around them all the time, but for us poor unfortunate teens that only have the chance to visit every once in a while, how on earth are we supposed to recognise their deep, hidden lust…AERITH! You are so DEAD!_

Both boys had been sat in silence for around fifteen minutes, Riku deduced when he looked at the clock. He had been looking at it regularly, staring at the fire for too long like Sora was doing made his eyes water terribly. He watched the clock for another two minutes and sixteen seconds before the slamming of a door made him jump. He noticed that Sora had done exactly the same. He instantly knew which door had been slammed, and didn't even need to hear the footsteps growing increasingly louder to know that one of the older men was on their way towards them. A few seconds later and he came into view.

"Leon…we're…" Riku started.

"Forget about it. It was nothing. I already have," Leon said tersely, not looking at him as he replied. He carried on striding forwards, pulling the front door open and slamming it with as much force as he had done with the other. Sora looked at Riku, obviously confused, but Riku had seen it. He knew that Leon had tried to hide it, but the tears on his cheeks glistened in the light as he had walked past, leaving no doubt in his mind that whatever he had said, it had definitely been something, to him at least.

Sora saw the anger rising inside of Riku, he could read his face like a book, they were closer than brothers and nothing about him escaped his attention. But he had no idea where the anger had actually come from.

"Riku?" he asked timidly. Riku ignored him, rising swiftly and storming down the hall. Sora followed him, knowing that whatever was going on, he would no doubt have to try and stop Riku from destroying things in his rage. He had a nasty temper when something set him off, but it usually took a lot for that to happen.

Riku had entered the room in which they had locked the two older men, and he didn't have to look for long to find Cloud. He was sat in the exact same place as he had been when they had left. He didn't seem to notice Riku as he stared blankly at the walls, not moving an inch. Riku called his name angrily, but Cloud did not respond. He gripped him by the shoulders and shook him strongly, but again, Cloud did not respond. He didn't even flinch when Riku pulled his arm back and hit him square in the face. Blood poured down his chin, dripping onto his shirt, but he did not move. He showed no sign that anything had happened at all. His eyes had watered, but they still contained that blank look, as if he was not there at all, just a shell of himself. Lifeless.

"Cloud! Why the fuck do you do this shit!? And now you don't even care! You're a heartless bastard. Although, I guess I should have known. Since when have you ever thought about anyone's feelings?" he shouted. Cloud's eyes snapped to him, and he stood up quickly, gripping Riku's shirt and slamming him against the wall.

"Cloud! Let go of him!" Sora shouted, but Cloud did not listen. He pushed Riku further into the wall, face contorted with anger. But as Riku looked into his eyes, they were no longer blank. There was no anger in them either. Just pain. Riku had never seen such anguish in anybody, no matter what their circumstances had been. As Cloud slowly lowered the younger man to the ground, fleeing silently from the room, Riku had to wonder.

_What on earth was going on?_

**A/n: And there you have it. This chapter would not write, but I got there in the end. I didn't want it to be all right as rain straight away between the two lovely men, that would be boring. Well, in my opinion it would anyway XD. R&R, I would love to hear what you think.**

**x x x**

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	6. Chapter 6

**A/n: Hellloooooo! Another sleepless night for me. No weird ideas about centipedes missing legs to fuel my need to write, so I decided to write up this chapter. Nice and early (3:45am) in the beautiful country that I call home. Well thanks to my lack of sleep, I have this chapter up quicker than I had planned XD. So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I honestly don't own Kingdom Hearts. It would have so much more sexy fun in it!**

_I've made it worse, _Aerith concluded in her mind. Cloud had been hiding away in his apartment as much as possible and whenever she went to make sure he was eating, all he would do was stare blankly at her. She could gain no response from him, and neither could any of their friends. Cid had called him the worst names he could think of; Yuffie had stolen his treasured blade and ran swinging it madly around his room, but nothing. Tifa had all but jumped on him and kissed him, but he didn't respond, not even to throw her off. He just sat there, unmoving with the stupid blank stare on his face.

Although she was rather upset by the blonde's behaviour, at least Aerith knew that he was alive and safe. Nobody had seen Leon since Riku and Sora had seen him storming out of the house. They had all searched everywhere, but he was no longer in Radiant Garden. The two young boys, bless them, had decided to travel around and look for him, and had left almost two weeks ago. But neither of them had brought any news since. She decided to make another trip to Cloud's, taking a few of her homemade cookies with her.

"Cloud?" she shouted as she reached his door. "Can I come in?" She took his silence as a yes and opened the door slowly. She didn't care how long it took, she was determined that before she left his house, she would have made Cloud talk to her.

When she entered she saw that he was sat, cross legged on the floor, staring into the dying embers in front of him. He did not look up at her approach, or show any indication that he had noticed when she sat down next to him. She offered her cookies to him, a pleading look on her face. Slowly, reluctantly, Cloud took one, nibbling slightly at the edge. Aerith positively beamed.

"Been doing anything today?" she asked cheerily. Cloud did not respond, just continued taking small bites of the cookie. Judging by the flushed colour of his face, Aerith could tell that he had been sat in front of the fire for a long time. Her face fell slightly.

"I guess not. How are the cookies?" She didn't get a response to this question either, just another bite of said cookie. She shifted closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. He didn't move in the slightest. She thought about her next subject quickly, turning her head to watch his face before she spoke.

"Leon's still missing you know," she said matter-of-factly. Cloud's eyes flashed quickly at the mention of Leon, but the spark of life died down again quickly. Aerith continued on. "We're all really worried. It's been two weeks since anyone has seen him. Riku said that he was crying when he left the house." Cloud made a strangled noise, forcing his mouth to close, to stop himself from speaking the words that almost burst through. Aerith smiled slyly in triumph.

"Cloud. What happened with you?"

No reply.

"You know you can tell me anything."

Nothing.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked hopefully.

"...No..." Aerith gasped as she heard Cloud's raspy voice for the first time in weeks.

"Why not Cloud?" she asked, hoping for more.

"...No..." he repeated, continuing to stare at the embers. Aerith stood up slowly, watching Cloud's face intently. She knew that she would get no more from him today. But it was a start. It was more than just silence.

"I'm going to go now then. I have to make dinner for everyone. You can join us if you like."

"..."

And they were back to the silence. She sighed and headed for the door.

"I'll be back tomorrow then," she said as she softly closed the door. Her spirit was lifted slightly, Cloud did have some life in him somewhere, and it was just a question of bringing it out. She knew that she would have to take things slowly, but she also knew that she had finally made some progress, and even that was better than nothing.

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The Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee, minus two members, sat quietly around the large dining table at Merlin's. It had been like this ever since the incident that had temporarily (well hopefully temporarily) lost them the two members. They would sit and eat their food quietly and quickly, sometimes striking up a conversation, but it was half-hearted at best. Even Yuffie had been quiet for a record amount of time. Tonight the atmosphere was no different than it had been lately, and the only sounds to be heard were the scraping of knives and forks and the slight shifting of chairs.

The back door flew open suddenly, thrown with such force that it almost came off its hinges. Everybody around the table jumped and Aerith and Yuffie squealed. Sora and Riku came through the doorway swiftly, dragging a beaten and bloody body between them. Aerith screamed as she recognised who it was.

"Aerith!" Sora shouted breathily. "We found him fighting Hades in the Underworld. The curse was stopping him from causing any damage, and Hades just kept messing with him. We got there just in time to stop him from striking a fatal blow. We brought him straight back here, but he's lost a lot of blood."

The two teens pulled the broken Leon over to the closest bedroom, laying him flat on the bed. Aerith followed them hastily, rolling her sleeves up as she went. She drew magic into her hands, placing them over Leon's broken body. From the corner of her eye she could see Riku holding his friend close to him, both of them trying to fight the tears.

"How long has he been out cold Riku?" she asked, still healing the man before her.

"He's been out for about five minutes. Before that he kept swimming in and out of consciousness, but he just kept mumbling 'Cloud' over and over again," Riku answered quickly, gulping as he finished. Aerith forced more energy into her hands, increasing the power of her healing. She knew that Leon was in serious danger but didn't want the young teens to see this. She thought quickly.

"Will you please get him then? They're best friends. Cloud should be here," she said softly.

"But..." Riku began to protest.

"But nothing, Riku. Leon was asking for Cloud, and Cloud would want to be here. Please just go get him. Both of you. Drag him here if you have to, but just get him," she chided. Riku obliged, not wanting to distract her from her healing. He gave Sora another quick hug and the two of them departed, tears streaming down their faces now.

Aerith sighed, increasing her magic further, pushing her limits to the extreme, but she would not let Leon die. She could not let that happen.

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"CLOUD!" Riku screamed through the door before he thrust it open. He found Cloud sitting on the floor, a batch of Aerith's cookies almost completely gone, just a few remaining next to him. The blonde turned his head slightly upon the silver haired teen's entrance, the commotion being made too loud for him to ignore.

"Cloud! Leon...he...he's..." Cloud jumped up, emotion flashing through his eyes.

"Leon?" he rasped, unused to using his voice. All his thoughts had left him as soon as Riku had spoken; the facade dropping.

"He's...Merlin's..."Riku whimpered. Cloud could instantly tell that something was wrong; the tears streaming down the teens faces confirming this. Not thinking any further, he flew out of the door, running at full speed towards Merlin's. His body felt strange, as if he was doing something alien to it, but he pushed himself harder, not letting up or even slowing despite the ache in his legs.

He ran through the open doorway, skidding to a halt in front of Aerith, who had collapsed on the floor in the living room.

"Leon?" he questioned, becoming even more worried as Aerith looked up, tears spilling down her face as they with Riku and Sora. She nodded wearily towards the first bedroom, the door of which was slightly open. He couldn't see through the slight gap, so cautiously walked towards it, pushing it open without looking. Taking a deep breath to steel himself, he entered, opening his eyes slowly. What he saw caused him to collapse to the floor, burying his head in his hands as sobs ripped through him.

He was alive. His chest was moving, rising and falling evenly. Cloud could hear the soft breaths coming from the older man, which confirmed that he was not just hallucinating. Leon was alive.

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Cloud no longer spent his time alone in his apartment. He spent the days and nights at a constant vigil at the unconscious Leon's side, whispering softly to him, stopping as soon as he heard anyone approach the room. Whenever anyone entered, he didn't show an signs of doing anything other than sitting a foot away from his friend's bed, waiting.

It had been one month since Leon had been brought back, and Cloud only left the room for around fifteen minutes a day. Five minutes for a quick shower, and then five in the morning for brushing his teeth, and five in the evening for the same reason. If it wasn't for Aerith forcing him to move, he would not have left for even that small amount of time. She had been bringing his meals to him, not leaving until she had watched him eat it.

His hair had grown longer, it was starting to cover his eyes but it did not matter to him. Leon's hair had grown too, but Cloud would not allow anyone to cut it, or his own. He did not want people making Leon's decisions for him.

People often visited, and whilst they were there, Cloud's eyes retained their dead look, not giving anything away to anyone. But as soon as they left, they would regain life, emotion, and he would begin whispering once again. He would grab the other man's hand tightly with both of his own, pressing it to his face sometimes.

He told Leon that he had been an idiot. He told him that he had been scared, that he had shut himself off from the world. He told him that he had always felt something, but he didn't know what it was. He admitted that Leon was the only person that could make him feel weak, but that he liked it. He explained everything that he had ever felt towards the man, all the secrets that he had hidden from everyone.

"I don't know what it is about you Leonhart, but I can't pull away. I tried, but I just kept thinking things through in my head, growing further away from my friends. I realise now Leonhart, I need you. I always have," he began to sob silently, clutching Leon's hand close to him.

"Wake up. Come back... Please."

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_Where the hell am I? It hurts so much. Everything hurts so much. It's too cold, it smells too much. I can't see through the dark, it's like the thickest of blankets covering me, keeping me from where I want to be. Where do I want to be? I walk and I walk but I don't get anywhere, it's like there's nothing here. Am I going to be alone forever here in this dark prison of solitude? There has to be a way out. _

"_I don't know what it is about you Leonhart, but I can't pull away. I tried, but I just kept thinking things through in my head, growing further away from my friends. I realise now Leonhart, I need you. I always have."_

_Such a beautiful voice. My angel. My angel shouldn't be sad. My angel is too beautiful to be unhappy. If I could just get there, if I could just reach out. But it's too cold. I can't move, I can't see. It hurts, my angel. It hurts so badly._

"_Wake up. Come back."_

_I want to, my angel! I want to come back. But I can't see. I can't find my way to you. I keep walking and walking, but I don't get anywhere. But I'll keep going. I will find you. I have to. No my angel, don't cry for me. I'm coming. I promise._

_I can feel you my angel! I'm getting closer to you, I know it. It's not so cold anymore. It doesn't hurt as much. But I still can't see. Help me to see my angel. _

"_Please."_

_I can see it my angel! The softest of lights. Like a candle flickering somewhere in the distance. I'm coming my angel! I'm coming home to you. _

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As Cloud sat, sobbing silently, he felt the hand he was holding twitch slightly. He gasped loudly, looking up and watching Leon's face intently. He saw Leon's eyes tighten slightly, before they cracked open, testing the light. Slowly, they opened fully, and Cloud's own shone brightly. Leon's eyes searched the room quickly, before coming to rest on Cloud. He smiled tentatively, which soon widened when he saw Cloud do the same.

"Hey."

"Hey," Leon croaked back, cursing his lack of voice. He looked away, embarrassed to show Cloud that he was weak, and within seconds found that the warmth surrounding his hand had gone. He looked quickly to see Cloud withdrawing his own, obviously only just remembering that it had been there, thinking that to be the reason of Leon's embarrassment. They looked at each other sheepishly before Cloud began to speak.

"Leonhart, I...I was a..." he stopped suddenly when he heard Leon groan loudly. He had chosen that moment to try and sit up, and found that it was extremely painful to do so.

"Oh fuck!" Cloud cried. "You've still got injuries. AERITH! Aerith said she couldn't...AERITH! She said she couldn't heal you fully until you woke up. AERITH!!!"

"What?!" she cried, bustling into the room quickly, not really paying attention. "It's quarter past three in the morning (**A/n: the time it is now as I'm writing this bit**). Do you really have to wake up the whole house? If it's another spider then...LEON!"

She ran over to him, pulling him close into a hug. Leon groaned again, and Cloud couldn't help but smack his forehead. How stupid? Really?

"Oh my lord. Sorry Leon. I forgot. How are you feeling?"

"...Sore..." he replied blandly. Cloud chuckled. You can always trust Leonhart to be Leonhart, he thought.

"I guess you are," Aerith said sheepishly. She drew magic to her hands and placed them over Leon's body. He sighed in relief as the pain left him bit by bit, his minor (but rather painful) injuries slowly healing.

"Thank you Aerith. Truly," Leon said sincerely. Cloud found himself silently agreeing. He owed Aerith immensely, but he would not tell her that just yet. He wasn't sure what Leon would think of that.

"Right now. Both of you, bed! You especially Cloud. You haven't slept in too long," she chided. Cloud looked away from her, knowing that what she said was true.

"No way," Leon argued. "I've only just woken up. I've been out for...for...umm...how long exactly?"

"About a month," Cloud answered quietly, not wanting his voice to betray him.

"I've just healed you again. You need to sleep and then you will feel much better. You can talk to your hearts' content tomorrow, right now...sleep!" She looked knowingly at both men. They gave in instantly. Leon settled himself back down onto the bed, trying to get comfortable. Cloud tried to sit back down in the chair that he had occupied for a while now, but Aerith caught his arm and pulled. She was deceptively strong.

"No. You've sat there long enough. Nothing's going to happen Cloud," she hissed in his ear. Leon looked curiously at them, but shrugged slightly and went back to trying to find comfort. "Leave it until the morning. Then I'll let you talk to him as much as you want."

He nodded swiftly, extracting himself from her grip and heading towards the spare room. There was no way he was leaving the house. As he led down on the bed, he thought about everything that he had said to Leon whilst he lay unconscious. How much would he remember?

Drifting off to a much needed sleep, the last thought that registered with him was a memory of Aerith's words from just 20 minutes ago.

"Leave it until the morning. Then I'll let you talk to him as much as you want."

Yes, he thought, smirking slightly. He was definitely going to hold her to that one.

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**A\n: Well there's chapter 6 for you. I guess I made Leon OOC here, but who really knows exactly what he's thinking in his head? This is longer than my usual, I didn't want to stop writing it. I couldn't find a good cut off point. I thought it would be too cheesy to stop straight after Leon's thoughts. R&R please. I would love to hear your thoughts. Any ideas on what you might like to happen between the two are welcome too. I aim to please. Next chapter coming soon XD**

**x x x**

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	7. Chapter 7

**A/n: Hey guys. So sorry that this has taken so long. This chapter was a little...well lets just say it was hard to write. Anyway, it's here now, so enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T own Kingdom Hearts :( It's just a wish that will never come true :(**

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Morning couldn't come quick enough for Cloud. As soon as the first of the morning sunlight seeped through the crack in his curtains, he jumped up, throwing his clothes back on hurriedly, not noticing that his button up shirt was inside out. This would be the first form of amusement for Leon. He too had been waiting for the morning, and the chance to get up and stretch his legs. He'd come out of his room (his prison, as he himself called it) just seconds after Cloud, and had chuckled when he saw the state of Cloud's attire. This caused the next incident to occur. Cloud, hearing Leon's faint chuckle, turned quickly to face him, forgetting that he was at the top of the stairs, the same stairs that he found himself hurtling down moments later. Leon had to give him credit though; Cloud rolled out of it pretty elegantly, landing heavily on his feet instead of breaking his neck.

"Damned mako enhanced prick," Leon joked croakily. "Can't just fall and break anything like the rest of us, can you? No. You just have to go and land like a cat." He cursed his rough voice, embarrassed again by the weakness it showed in him. Why did Cloud have to be so invincible when he himself could be broken so easily?

"Well I see you're feeling better," Cloud retorted icily, smirking. Leon smirked back, and followed him into the kitchen (having actually _walked _down the stairs, he though smugly). They were both quietly pleased when they saw that nobody else had woken yet, but neither showed any sign that this was what they wanted.

"Pancakes?" Cloud asked quietly, turning his back to Leon to reach into the cupboard. Leon caught sight of the label hanging out of Cloud's shirt, and couldn't help but snigger. "What?" Cloud asked, mildly irritated. He was not a morning person at the best of times, and even less so when he was edgy and nervous.

"You've got your shirt on inside out," Leon pointed out, watching as Cloud blushed. Well that was new. Cloud had never blushed in his life, and here he was, blushing like a schoolgirl at one little observation.

"Ugh," Cloud groaned softly. "I should..." he trailed off, lifting his shirt above his head. He saw Leon's eyes widen slightly, before they roved over his chest. Watching Leon watch him, he felt his heart tighten, as well as a certain other region. He twisted around once more to hide himself, throwing his shirt back on and rummaging around in the cupboards again. He was stalling, and Leon knew it. Both men knew exactly what was coming, but neither could find a way to approach the subject.

Leon watched as Cloud began making their breakfast, noticing the subtle differences in the man since he had last seen him. His hair had grown longer, yet his spikes were still as upright as ever. He had slimmed down slightly, most likely from eating less. He knew that he was the reason behind these small changes, as he could remember the almost constant sound of Cloud's voice near him. He could only remember a few of the things that Cloud had said to him, but what he could remember gave him courage to speak now.

"I heard what you said," he said softly. He saw Cloud stiffen immediately, but carried on regardless. "I guess it was thanks to you that I was able to wake up. You sort of...guided me home with your voice. So I suppose it's true what they say. Home is where the heart is," he whispered the last bit, worried when Cloud tensed further.

"...I...those things I said, I..." Cloud stuttered, trailing off. He had wanted this talk, he reminded himself. He'd been looking forward to it, too sorting this whole mess out. But now, after all the mental preparation, after the difficult things had already been said, the final words that would seal the deal wouldn't come to him. He was scared, and he knew it.

Leon watched Cloud's back, waiting for the blond to respond. He'd finally admitted (sort of) what both men had known long ago, but refused to accept. He'd worked up the courage to put himself out there, and now Cloud's hesitance was grating on his nerves. The longer he watched the annoying (but ever so gorgeous, he added) man in front of him, the more the anger built.

"I never took you for a coward Strife," he spat angrily, tired of waiting for someone that was too pathetic to even speak what they both knew. He walked off, scraping his stool loudly cross the floor, not wanting a repeat of their last argument. It was ironic though, he thought bitterly; it was almost an exact replica already.

As the angry words registered with Cloud, he felt his own temper flare up. His ears picked up the retreating footsteps of the annoying (but ever so gorgeous, he added) man and he sparked into life once more. Hurtling towards Leon, he pulled his fist back, ready to strike. He didn't care that he was attacking a man from behind, all he wanted to do in that one moment was cause the brunette as much pain as possible.

"Walk away from me? How fucking dare you!? You asshole!"

If he hadn't shouted, Leon wouldn't have realised what was coming, but as Cloud swung for Leon's head, the brunette turned quickly, catching Cloud's fist in his hand inches from his face. But this didn't deter Cloud. He swung with his other, just as powerful side, despairing as Leon caught this easily too. Off-balance, Cloud instantly fell forward as Leon tugged lightly, falling against the other's chest. He felt strong arms pull him tightly, and was shocked to feel tears spill from his eyes.

Leon cold feel Cloud shake with his silent sobs, and found himself pulling closer him with one arm, using his right hand to wipe the moisture from the others face.

"...Leonhart," he whispered softly, brokenly. With that almost childlike whimper, Leon's already shaky resistance to his own needs faded, and he crushed his lips to the blonde's hungrily, sucking his lip. Cloud moaned, melting into the kiss, the embrace, pushing his body closer to Leon's. Both men kissed with equal passion, tongues battling for dominance as Cloud pushed Leon backwards, thrusting him none too gently into the wall. Leon let out a small grunt of pain, breaking away for a second.

"Bastard," he growled huskily, pulling Cloud to him again. He felt him smirk against his lips before he reciprocated. Fine, Leon thought through the lusty haze of his mind; if that's how he wanted to be. He could show Cloud a thing or two.

As they kissed fervently, Leon rolled his hips against Cloud's, eliciting a loud moan from him. Taking his opportunity he switched their positions, so that Cloud's back was now to the wall. It was Leon's turn to smirk as Cloud pouted. He stared, quickly committing the beautiful face to his memory forever, before leaning down, kissing his way along Cloud's jaw and down to his neck, sucking at the soft flesh there. Cloud squirmed, the friction between the two men's' clothed erections enticing more moans, getting louder.

"Don't...don't leave a mark there," Cloud gasped, enjoying the sensation of Leon's lips too much to pull himself away.

"Aww," Leon mumbled against his skin. "Don't you want people to know you're mine?" he chuckled quietly, causing Cloud to shudder with pleasure. "Well then, if you don't want people to know...wear one of those lovely jumper things that you're so fond of."

Cloud couldn't find it in him to argue, so he gave in, tangling his fingers into Leon's long locks. He pulled his head up roughly, capturing his lips with another kiss. Leon moved to pull Cloud's shirt from him, but Cloud softly batted his hand away.

"Not here," he whispered against his lips. Leon nodded, disentangling himself from Cloud, stepping back. He instantly missed the warmth that Cloud's body provided, and for one second he thought of disregarding the current surroundings and pulling Cloud back to him, but he knew that it was a bad idea. Cloud smirked, knowing that Leon was feeling the same as him. He reached down to grasp his hand, pulling. "Come one," he said seductively. Leon put up no resistance.

* * *

"Just where are you taking me?" Leon asked, a little more harshly than he intended. Cloud didn't seem to mind, but still refused to answer. There was no need to anyway, they'd arrived.

Leon scanned his surroundings, his eyes widening as he recognised the area. True, nobody would find them here, which was the main thing, but really? What was Cloud thinking?

"The Dark Depths?" he questioned. Cloud removed his hand from Leon's before he answered, instead raising it to his face.

"There have been so many bad memories here. We should make some good ones," he said, staring deep into Leon's stormy blue eyes. Leon nodded meekly, understanding Cloud's reasons immediately. He found that he agreed, and smiling gently, he pulled the blonde's lips to his.

This kiss was different from the ones they had shared before. Those before had been hungry, greedy kisses full of need, but this was something better. It was a slow, burning kiss, a kiss that touched the very souls of the two that shared it. They pulled back, watching each other intensely as they began to remove their clothes, Leon slowly unbuttoning Cloud's shirt, revealing his toned body inch by inch, kissing every new piece of flesh that was exposed.

The shirt fell to the floor, and Leon revelled in the beauty of the god before him. Cloud felt the blush creep up his face as he was the focus of Leon's passionate stare. He moved forward, capturing Leon's lips again as he ran his hands under his flimsy shirt. This was quickly removed too, and both men whimpered at the sensation of the others touch, grinding slowly against each other. Simultaneously, the two men began to unbutton the others jeans (Leon had not bothered with his leather pants today, he couldn't find the energy or the patience to squeeze into them), fiddling with the buttons as they moved their lips together, their tongues no longer battling but dancing softly but passionately.

Leon kneeled down on the warm floor, pulling Cloud down with him gently, never breaking the kiss. They leaned down together, Cloud straddling Leon, the thin material of their boxers the only thing separating their throbbing erections, and the friction between them was delicious. Cloud's hands trailed down Leon's chest, fingering the band at the top of his boxers. He caught Leon's eyes and saw the intent clear in his eyes, and in one swift movement, his boxers were gone, Cloud's following moments after.

When they had started, Leon had always maintained in his mind that he would be the one on top, but the feel of Cloud against him, his sweet ministrations, the sexy moans issuing from the beauty, they changed his mind. He didn't care if Cloud was on top, as long as he carried on what he was doing.

Cloud kissed his way down Leon's chest, biting and sucking, marking his skin as he went, drowning in the sweet moans echoing all around them. He carried on downwards, and kissed the tip of Leon's length, and the man shuddered. They both quickly realised that any more teasing and they wouldn't last, they were so close already, the pure passion overcoming them. Leon drew Cloud's fingers into his mouth, sucking them, coating them with his saliva. Cloud imagined how that mouth would feel sucking another part of his body, but put that thought on hold as he looked into Leon's eyes.

"...You sure?" he asked quietly. Leon's eyes answered for him, showing Cloud that he trusted him completely. Cloud needed no more encouragement. Leon groaned, half in pleasure, half in pain, as he felt the first slick digit pump into him. God he was tight. The second finger followed quickly, and he felt Cloud scissor him as he pumped, stretching him, preparing him. The feel of just Cloud's fingers inside him almost brought him to the edge, ad he was disappointed when he felt them removed. Cloud could wait no longer, and Leon didn't want him to. With one swift movement, Cloud buried himself inside Leon, the tightness almost making him release then.

Cloud stayed still for a moment, waiting for Leon to adjust, and as Leon nodded softly, he withdrew, then thrust forwards, hitting just the right spot. Cloud thrust harder and faster, Leon meeting his thrusts, allowing Cloud to bury deeper. Cloud knew that he was close; he was not going to last much longer, and so began to pump Leon's length with his hand. The twin sensations that Leon felt brought him to his climax, his seed bursting, coating both their stomachs. Cloud followed soon after, the feel of Leon's tightening muscles too much for him to hold on any longer.

Cloud withdrew from Leon quickly, but the two men stayed tangled together, thoroughly sated. Neither man wanted to ruin the perfection, the bliss of the moment as they held each other close. Leon could tell that Cloud was deep in thought. He looked quite pained, as if he wanted to speak, but didn't know how. Leon thought that he would help out by breaking the silence with the first thing that came to mind.

"That was my first time with a man you know?" he said sheepishly, smiling softly. Cloud looked up.

"That was...that was my first time ever," he admitted. "I...I've never..." he trailed off embarrassed. Leon smiled again, even brighter. He gently held Cloud's face in his hands, forcing him to look at him.

"That was the best thing I've ever felt Cloud. I can't explain it properly. Words don't do it justice. It was just...perfect. So don't go all shy on me," he chuckle. Cloud's eyes softened.

"Leonhart..." he whispered. Leon instantly cut him off.

"Call me Squall," he said, pressing his lips to Cloud's lightly. They smiled softly at each other, before relaxing back into a comfortable silence, watching the sky above them, holding each other under the warm light of the sun. Cloud smiled to himself. The light of the sun was nothing compared to the light in his heart, as he realised that it had always been there. It had just been hidden beneath the surface before.

His heart soared as he saw Leon watching him, but as the time passed, a nervous feeling filled his stomach. Yes, he'd found his light and he was happy with Leon, genuinely happy, but...the others. How could he explain it to the others? Tifa especially. She would never understand.

As Leon squeezed him closer, Cloud kept his worry to himself. He would face those problems when the time came. For now, and he knew that Leon would agree, their relationship would stay between them. Their secret little piece of happiness.

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**A/n: So there you go. I don't know why I decided to make Cloud a virgin, I suppose its coz it showed just how naturally talented Cloud is. I don't know. Anyway, there shall be more to come. R&R please XD It makes this all worthwhile.**

**Thanks to all of you that have already reviewed, it's nice to know that you're enjoying this story XD**

**x x x**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello! It's been a while...again. Serious case of writers block, and it hasn't gotten any better but I had to get a chapter out for you guys. Doesn't help that my inspiration has been removed from youtube :(. Anyway, hopefully you'll enjoy XD**

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It was strange, Aerith thought. One moment Cloud would not leave Leon's side, and then the next, he wouldn't even speak to him. When she had woken up that morning, she had expected to find the two men deep in conversation, after all, they had seemed anxious enough the previous night. So she was disappointed to find that, as usual, she was the first one to wake. She'd then wondered whether Cloud had gone to see Leon in his room, so, under the pretence of checking Leon's injuries, she headed towards his room, only to find Leon sound asleep, exactly as he had been when she'd left him last night. As she exited his room, she came face to face with one sleepy Cloud Strife, hair mussed, baggy pyjama bottoms and one of his favourite high necked jumpers.

"Morning," he said, his voice rough but still quite loud. "He alright?"

"Cloud!" she scolded, whispering. "You'll wake him up!" She heard a yawn from behind the door and sighed. "Too late." Cloud had just waved her away and headed down towards the kitchen. Sighing again, she went and checked on Leon, smiling brightly as he looked up at her. She quickly ascertained that he was fine, if not a little tender still in places, and told him that he could go down for breakfast if he wanted. Leon had smiled back at her softly, nodded and followed her down the stairs.

Cloud had just finished making pancakes when they reached the kitchen, and was placing them in the middle of the table. Aerith noted how he had made enough for three; he had been sure that Leon would be fine. It struck her as odd at first until she remembered that Cloud would have heard everything that she had said.

She watched as Cloud and Leon both sat down, taking their customary seats at the table. Neither said a word as they ate, Cloud staring at the wall opposite him, a wistful look in his eyes. She noticed how Leon subtly glanced at Cloud's neck, hidden by the fabric of his jumper; she saw the small smirk that appeared momentarily. After that, nothing else remotely interesting happened. The three of them sat in silence for the rest of their breakfast, and Aerith knew that they were all just happy to be together again.

They knew that they had been lucky. When Cloud and Leon snuck back into the house, it was five minutes before Aerith usually woke up. They both headed back into their rooms, not daring to speak for fear of waking the others. They'd clambered back into the clothes they'd been wearing for bed, jumping under the covers. Leon had just calmed his breathing when he heard Aerith moving about. He closed his eyes contentedly, the earlier sensations filling his mind. He felt the silly smile plastered on his face as he heard Cloud outside his door as they had planned, giving him an opportunity to "wake". He had to hold back a chuckle as Aerith chastised the blonde, and successfully turned it into a loud yawn. Seconds later Aerith sidled into the room almost sheepishly, and Leon knew that the plan had worked. Aerith was none the wiser.

Cloud could tell that Leon was proud of his work, and wondered half-heartedly how Aerith hadn't noticed how the brunette was practically glowing. Maybe it was just something that only Cloud could see, but in his eyes it made Leon more beautiful than ever (though he doubted that he would be pleased with being called beautiful; manly, handsome at a push, but Leon didn't think that he deserved to be called beautiful).

Cloud didn't really trust himself to speak, he was in a sort of stupor, and so he spent breakfast in silence. It was the sort of silence that spoke volumes, but again, Aerith seemed to be having an off day. It was quite funny, she'd been watching them for weeks, and the day when it most mattered, she couldn't see a thing. Or maybe they were just good at hiding it. It was a disconcerting thought for Cloud; he thought that the immense connection would be easy to see, but perhaps it wasn't as strong as he thought.

And so breakfast passed silently and all three stood together. Leon automatically went for the dishes but Aerith slapped his hand away softly.

"Leon. You shouldn't have to do this. Go for a shower, Cloud and I will sort it," she said softly. Leon shook his head, chuckling.

"It's fine. I need to start pulling my weight again I think. Plus, I don't want to use all the hot water. Ladies first as they say. I'm sure washing the dishes isn't the most strenuous of activities," he shot a suggestive look at Cloud, who smirked back.

"No worries Aerith. I'll make sure he doesn't collapse on us. Go shower. We've got this," Cloud said quietly, the smirk still on his face. Aerith sighed quietly, held up her hands and walked out backwards, making sure that Leon really was fine. Both men motioned for her to move faster, and she shook her head, smiling slightly as she left them to their job. She just hoped that Cloud wouldn't smash any of the plates again.

Cloud waited until Aerith was out of sight and out of earshot before he turned to face the brunette.

"'Washing the dishes isn't the most strenuous of activities'? Have an example of a better one?" Cloud asked, winking suggestively.

"Oh shut up," Leon said flustered. He grabbed a towel from the side. "You can dry," he grinned, throwing the damp towel in Cloud's face. He moved to fill the sink, grabbing the washing up liquid from the cupboard below it.

"Aww but baby, what if you collapse and end up face first in the water? You might drown," Cloud gasped mockingly.

"Oh, so you'd prefer me to end up face first on the floor. Thanks," he replied sarcastically. "And don't call me baby."

"Sorry muffin," Cloud sniggered before finding his shirt soaked through with soapy water. He burst into hysterical laughter, Leon doing the same. Then came the ensuing water fight, and Leon found that he wouldn't need that shower after all. Cloud on the other hand was looking forward to a shower, although maybe not at Merlin's. And he knew that if he had his way, the two men would be having more 'fun' involving the water. If only Leon knew what he had unleashed...

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**A/n: Well there you go. Personally I think its a bit lame, but I just couldn't write this at all. January exams are over at college now so I should be able to concentrate a little more for the next chapter. I'll try my best to update quicker next time, but it'll only work if I can find some inspiration. Anyway, please review, makes me a happy bunny. Next chapter coming ASAP! XD**

**x x x**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Ahhh! Over a year since my last update me thinks! I'm so sorry. I lost all inspiration for writing what with all the work I've had to do. Though it would be ironic that I've just changed my profile to say I wouldn't be updating for a while. This just kinda hit me just as I was about to turn my laptop off, so I had to write it up. It's the first bit of creativity I've had for a while. Anyway, this is long overdue, so I'll stop babbling now.**

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"Where the hell is he? I asked Cloud to come over at six! Why isn't he here?" screamed Tifa, only just stopping herself from throwing the phone away in frustration. She heard Aerith sigh at the other end of the phone.

"I don't know Tifa honey. I'm sure him and Leon just got caught up working. You know how hard they're working to make the outskirts of town habitable, they probably just lost track of time," Aerith reasoned, trying to calm her friend down.

"I'm going to go looking for him. Maybe he's hurt! Oh no! He's hurt isn't he? What am I still doing here? He must be really hurt if he's this late. I mean, he wouldn't really stand me up, he loves me," Tifa mumbled through the phone. Aerith let out an exasperated sigh.

"Tifa..."

"Bye Aerith! I've gotta make sure he's alright!"

"Tifa" the normally mild mannered woman growled down the phone to the sound of the disconnected tone. "She really needs to get over herself! He doesn't bloody love her; it's obvious he's in love with Leon!"

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Tifa stormed towards the outskirts of town, her mind racing with thoughts of Cloud in pain. She'd seen the rota earlier that day, and knew exactly where he and Leon were working. She moved faster as she got closer to the new housing district, her breath coming out in loud pants as she worked her muscles. She was about 20 metres in when she heard it. Laughing, coming from inside one of the new buildings.

"Seriously Cloud, you are useless, can't even plaster a wall without working up a sweat. D.I.Y really isn't your thing."

Well that was Leon, and the teasing tone he used instantly quelled Tifa's fears. Cloud was alright it seemed. But now she was angry. The blonde had completely forgotten about her, stood her up for a bit of work with Leon. She stomped around the corner; oh was that boy going to feel her wrath.

The two men turned around as they heard her footsteps, both shirtless and panting heavily from the work they'd been doing.

"Cloud Strife! I can't believe you stood me up. We were supposed to be eating by now, I made a meal and everythi...What the hell is that?" Tifa screeched.

Cloud looked confused.

"What the hell is what?" he asked. Tifa shook her fist before pointing at his neck.

"That...that mark! That massive, hideous purple-y thing on your neck!"

"Oh...umm...me and Squ...Leonhart were sparring earlier, he got a good hit in. Hurts like a bitch," he said sheepishly, slyly glancing at Leon.

"That is no bruise. That's a hickey! You're cheating on me! Where's the fucking slut? I'll knock her block off, trying to steal you away from me." Leon shook his head at Tifa's words. He couldn't believe the rubbish that she was spouting. "Everyone knows that we're the perfect couple. Tifa and Cloud. I mean, our names even sound perfect together. That skank doesn't know who she's dealing with. Me and you, Cloud, have been in love for years, and..."

"Shut up!" Leon snapped. "You're fucking crazy. Let me tell you know, Tifa. You and Cloud aren't dating, you've never been dating, and you never will be dating. He doesn't love you! You're fucking psychotic if you thought he ever did!"

Tifa stood in shocked silence, her face bright red and tears filling her eyes. Cloud sighed, putting his hand on Leon's shoulder.

"Come on Squall. Calm down a little. She's been like this since, well, forever. Don't let it bother you. It's just words, it doesn't mean anything." Leon nodded, placing his hand over Cloud's and squeezing it a little in reassurance. He placed his other hand on Cloud's waist, holding him gently to quell his anger.

"Thanks. You're right. I was being stupid. I know there isn't anything romantic there for you, it's just...hard, hearing that sort of thing." Cloud smiled slightly, a smile to show that everything was still fine. He was about to move his hand away from Leon's shoulder when he heard the shocked from behind him.

Cloud and Leon could only stare as Tifa flinched backwards, her hand flying to her mouth as she thought through what she had just seen.

_"No...NO! You've got to be kidding me! You and...him? No, it can't be..."_

She took a step backwards, and then another one, before wheeling around and bolting away from the two men.

"Shit." The blonde and the brunette shared a quick glance, before running after her, their shirts completely forgotten. Tifa had quite a head start and she seemed to be pushing herself more than usual. Neither man could catch up to her, even though they knew exactly where she was headed. They were going to be outed, and they both knew it. There was nothing they could do to stop Tifa before she made it to Merlin's; she would tell them all what she'd seen, what she'd figured out, and then everyone would know about their relationship.

Cloud was terrified. He and Leon hadn't even spoken about revealing their relationship yet. They'd been together for almost two months now, and it had been perfect. Cloud didn't want to cause any problems by going public at the start, not before they'd had time to adjust themselves. He knew without asking that Leon felt the same. He'd been slowly changing his mind, wondering whether Leon would agree to coming clean, but now any decision was taken out of their hands. Cloud stopped running abruptly, his thoughts running through his mind too fast for him to put them in any semblance of order.

"Squall. Wait a sec." Leon stopped, looking back to his lover. "We can't stop this from happening now, you know that right?"

"I know. We were never going to catch her."

He knew that all their friends were going to know about them now, though that wasn't the problem. He had wanted to tell them soon anyway; he was actually going to talk to Cloud about it that very night. The problem was that they couldn't do it on their own terms now. They would have no chance to explain, to prepare them before they found out. And even worse, he didn't know if it was what Cloud wanted, and that was what annoyed him the most. Cloud, for all his strength and bravery, was quite easily hurt by the people he was close to, and Leon couldn't stand seeing the blonde upset.

"I'm sorry Cloud. This is my fault. I know you're not ready for this to be public, but I didn't think. I just turned all jealous lover on you and didn't think about the consequences of my actions. I'm so sorry."

Cloud watched as Leon spoke his unnecessary apology, his head hung in shame. He couldn't stand to see him looking so pitiful.

"Squall, look at me." He tilted Leon's chin up so he could look him in the eyes. "You have nothing to apologise for. It's okay. I would have done exactly the same; only, I wouldn't have been as subtle in my possessiveness. I can't stand the thought of anyone else with you. And Tifa's words made me angry to babe. But it's okay. I don't mind them knowing. I wanted to tell you but we've never had the chance to talk about it properly. I want everyone to know that you're mine and I'm yours. I want them to know that there's no one else for me. You're it; my everything. Squall, I never have and I never will want anyone else. So don't apologise for this. It might not be coming out the way we wanted it to, but we'll deal with it. I know I can handle anything, as long as I'm with you."

Leon could feel the tears run down his cheeks. He'd never been happier than in this moment. Cloud was everything he'd ever wished for. Nothing could ever compare to the beautiful blonde warrior who was holding him tightly. He knew what Cloud said was true; they would deal with it together, because nothing would – _could_ - tear them apart.

"Cloud, I...thank you. You're it for me too." Cloud moved to kiss the tears away from his eyes, Leon's heart bursting at the loving gesture. "I can't imagine life without you. And you're right. I want people to see us together, happy. I want to be able to walk with you, to kiss you whenever I want. Whatever comes from this, it will be fine. Because we'll be together, like you said, and we won't have to hide anymore. But more importantly, I know everything will be fine because...I love you Cloud Strife. I love you so much."

Cloud pressed his lips to Leon's gently, just a chaste, sweet kiss, but it showed all the love and tenderness, and happiness, that he was feeling.

"I love you too."

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** A/N: This became a bit more fluffy than I'd planned, and they are both totally OOC at the end. But oh well. That's why it's fanfiction :D This probably isn't the best chapter I've ever written, but I hope you enjoyed it all the same. R&R please, I could do with a lift. **

**xxx**


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